JP-2009-222025A describes a valve timing controller which controls opening and closing timing of an intake valve or an exhaust valve in an internal combustion engine by changing a rotation phase between a crankshaft and a camshaft. The valve timing controller has a housing rotating with the crankshaft, and a vane rotor rotating with the camshaft. The valve timing controller controls the valve timing by supplying working oil to an advance chamber or a retard chamber defined in the housing, so as to rotate the vane rotor.
A reed valve is disposed in an oil passage which supplies the working oil to the advance chamber and the retard chamber as a check valve. The valve timing controller includes the reed valve between the vane rotor and a cover that covers the reed valve. The reed valve is interposed between an end surface of the vane rotor and an end surface of the cover when the vane rotor and the reed valve are tightened using a bolt.
At this time, because the reed valve is not fixed, the reed valve has a possibility of dropping out before the bolt is fixed. Moreover, the bolt may be fastened while the reed valve falls out. Therefore, there is a possibility that the reed valve may be missing. Moreover, the number of components necessary for producing the valve timing controller is increased because the cover and the bolt are needed for fixing the reed valve.
Moreover, it is necessary to define a hole in the vane rotor for tightening the bolt, therefore the shape of the oil passage inside the vane rotor is restricted.